"With their unique, catchy brand of pop/surf rock, irresistible vocal harmonies and friendly stage persona, FIRE DOG is instantly likeable - the type of band that can make anyone smile and perhaps even start a dance party - anytime, anywhere."
"Good music answers new questions with each listen, and this is where FIRE DOG's headman, Mark Pagano, succeeds on the self-titled 2006 release. The sound is not genre defining but it is his. The songs are written about what he sees, his world, our world, where we live, what WE see. Plus, they’re catchy as hell!
The beats are heavy, guitars distorted, the melodies are sweet, firmly in the driver seat, a female harmony sitting shotgun with a foot out the window. Stomp your feet and listen. It's rock n' roll!"
PLAYBACK : STL (March, 2007)
LOVEORAMA Show Review
Why is it that over 200 people trudged down to South City's renovated Lucas School House in the frigid winter to watch FIRE DOG, Celia's Big Rock Band, the Bench Press Burlesque, The In?, and VJ Evil Che (Mike Pagano) perform in what the group collectively called a Love-O-Rama?
Easy answer: Love. Well, that and live music from some of the most fluid groups of performers in St. Louis. No surprise that the School House hosted the show, with its warm, wine-cellar feel of stained glass, hardwood floors, and leather
couches. Christmas lights, glowing hearts, and papier-mâché dogs pinned to the walls added a pleasant absurdity that relaxed the room, while a dial-o-meter made sure nobody, upstairs or down, missed the hostess, Celia, when she took the stage in her cherry-red dress.
Introductions were short and led directly into the first band performance of the night. FIRE DOG, fronted by Mark Pagano and backed by drummer Brandon Manitoba and bassist Celia, began with a crisp blend of staccato beats and fun "ah, ah, ahs" that got bodies up and shimmying on the dance floor. Pagano, oddly reminiscent of Hedwig and the Angry Inch's John Cameron Mitchell, belted out a spunky new song entitled, "Disappear."
"What makes my music so memorable," Pagano said afterward, "is the playfulness of the songwriting. It's optimistic without being naïve. Fun, danceable, Love-O-Rama pop!" The mood was infectious and even pulled other musicians onstage. Adham Roland of the Tin Lizzies, dressed in a mishmash of ties, polka-dotted skirts, and tights, joined the In's saxophonist Chris Wilson for a stunning harmony on "You Don't Know My Mama," which stirred local singer Suzanne Peebles onto the dance floor.
An out-of-breath Peebles returned after the song, smiling and talking about "the glorious celebration of love fueled," as she put it, "by vitality." To her, Peebles continued, "the show is an exploration into beings and beyond the labels we have, a calliope of frenzied performance, so why not have fun with it?"
Tour 2k6
Empowerment Works and Love O Rama
"For all who participated in our Oct. 15th Love-O-Rama Collaboration Celebration, Thank You!!
The Love O Rama concert (FIRE DOG and Celia's Big Rock Band) and multi-media show kept our crowd buzzing and positively energized on the dance floor all night long.
"Empowerment Works was honored to partner with this synergistic creative team- raising awareness of critical issues facing humanity, while giving people a local outlet to support local business and enjoy life- so vital to fostering social change!"
-- Melanie St. James, MPA
(Los Angeles, CA)